Water walk awakens love of place

TRR photo by Sandy Long
The women carried this Amphora water vessel and a staff with ribbons bearing messages gathered along the trail.

“The people in that community made our hearts sing,” said Countryman. “It’s a community that really gets it. They love each other so much. It was evident how much they love where they live.”

“I was so touched by that community,” added Path. “It made me hopeful. They care so much about their land and their water. And not just theirs. That is a memory that I will carry forever.”

The women also paid a visit to the water-powered WJFF radio state in Jeffersonville, NY where they were interviewed by Lisa Brody on her show, Gift of Peace. (Hear the show at www.wjffradio.org/wjff/index.php?section=38. Click on the April 17 recording).

“We’re walking about water, but it’s also about food and indigenous culture and respecting the wisdom we can work from. It’s all connected,” said Countryman. “We’re aware that there are people around the world who have to walk to get their water and carry enough to use for their families. We recognize that we’re privileged and we’re grateful for this.”

In what way is this good news? Encouraging this sort of bizarre behavior cannot be a good thing. This sentence pretty well sums up the tone of the story: "The women were graciously hosted by the Inn at Starlight Lake that evening, then returned to the home of deerheart, a drummer, and Maya Minwah, an alchemist and shaman, in the early morning to share cornbread, roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh fruits and spirited discussion. Minwah anointed the women’s feet with rose water and Oil of Magdalene." Lake Como has an alchemist and shaman? A shaman is a member of certain tribal societies who acts as a medium between the visible world and an invisible spirit world and who practices magic or sorcery for purposes of healing, divination, and control over natural events. An alchemist prsctices alchemy, which is a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life. The good news in this story is that these people have left the area, except of course, for the drummer and the alchemist/shaman.